Although I never saw it, I heard that Irving Crane would do this for a spot shot in exhibitions. I tried it the other night. I'm not Irving Crane.
Experiments in looking at the cueball while delivering the stroke.
- Thread starter gregcantrall
- Start date
I'm not from Missouri but Oklahoma is pretty close. I gotta see this to believe it. Show me.
I've no interest in putting you or anyone else "In your place." If you wish to believe it's never been done before ( let alone thousands of times by at least hundreds of players ) then by all means, don't let me stop you. And, trust me on this, I'm nowhere *near* the best player on earth.
And, as I'm sure you experienced, Bob, it really isn't all *that* difficult! :grin:
Gar, give it a shot. Seriously. Set up a spot shot, address the ball, turn your head, cue, out, floor, back in, fire away. I'm betting you make it within 5 attempts, tops.
Perhaps a bit of clarification would be useful. To make this shot, you would set up a spot shot, address the shot/align yourself/aim/properly cue the CB. Only then do you turn your head, remove the cue from your bridge, touch the tip to the floor, replace back into the bridge, then make the shot. From the time you initially turn your head, through removing, replacing cue from/to bridge ( helpful hint: shoot from the rail using a rail bridge. It's much easier to replace cue into a rail bridge while not looking than a closed bridge on the table ), making the shot, your head remains turned.
Hope this makes it easier to visualize.
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I tried it. I stabbed the guy standing next to the table with my cue.
Lemme know if you need a few bucks for legal fees... I'll open a gofundme.com for yaz.
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I don't touch the floor with my cue or anything but for many many years I have practiced long straight in shots with my eyes closed or head turned.
I was taught this by an old time hustler, Cotton Thomas (RIP), as a good way to get your stroke tuned up.
I think most people here that have never tried it would be surprised at how good they shot doing this.
At times my make percentage actually goes up. My thoughts are that it keeps your conscious (subconscious?) from steering the cue.
I was taught this by an old time hustler, Cotton Thomas (RIP), as a good way to get your stroke tuned up.
I think most people here that have never tried it would be surprised at how good they shot doing this.
At times my make percentage actually goes up. My thoughts are that it keeps your conscious (subconscious?) from steering the cue.
I used to shoot no-look spot shots for hours ( when my back and I were MUCH younger ). For me, it always emphasized how important being "in line" ( for the shot ) was. And make no mistake, knowing when you're "in line" is instinct ( derived from countless hours of repetition ). It's a feeling, pure and simple. If you use only your aiming point on the OB to make shots and your body is out of line ( which many people are simply from bad fundamentals ), you're constantly fighting yourself on each shot. Even if you make the balls, you're expending so much more energy than need be, which, of course, affects your stamina. And that stamina might not come into play in a single race to say, 7 or whatnot. But over the course of an entire tournament? Or matching up and playing for 30 hours straight? It adds up. Bet on it.
The first time I saw no-look in a game ( I had seen the no-look cue-out-back-in spot shot at 15 by a GREAT player in my home pool room, but never had seen no-look in a game situation ) was in Tallahassee. It was being given as a spot by a very good player named Bill Garman. I was 19 and it was fascinating. I started practicing it that same day and I've never looked back ( pun intended ). It's a great practice tool.
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I'll say this, once again, politely. It makes not one iota of difference to me what you wish to believe. Period. I know precisely what I said and so does anyone else who cares to read the post ( but for those who don't want to dig back, here it is: "If your body is in line and your mechanics are sound all the way through the shot, you do not need to see either the OB or the CB to make the shot." Obviously, not needing to see either the OB or the CB to make the shot means just that, as you're making the shot ( head turned ). It does not mean walking up to the table with your head already turned so you never see either the CB or the OB. That seemed a bit "cloudy" to some people, thus the clarification ). Whether or not you think it can or cannot be done, by me or anyone else, makes no difference whatsoever. And that is said both respectfully and honestly.
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Irving Crane shot that shot for years in his exhibitions, in front of probably 1000s of people over his 30-40 year career. Lining up, looking away, lifting the cue off his bridge hand and moving it around, returning the cue to his bridge and while still not looking, fired in the shot. It wasn't exclusive to him either. Its been around a long time.
He also shot it in Q-Men. Now, Im sure someone will try to discredit it because of a zoom out/video cut, but as stated before, countless 1000s of people watched him shoot it in person over the years., so arguing it as not being possible is shall we say, foolish at best.
https://youtu.be/dJnrQBLTi_k?t=4m49s
He also shot it in Q-Men. Now, Im sure someone will try to discredit it because of a zoom out/video cut, but as stated before, countless 1000s of people watched him shoot it in person over the years., so arguing it as not being possible is shall we say, foolish at best.
https://youtu.be/dJnrQBLTi_k?t=4m49s
Chuck - I've seen it made hundreds of time by many people, some only fair players. Several people I've showed it to through the years actually made it on the first shot. It sounds far more difficult than it really is. The player who showed it to me when I was 15, Randy Brown, made it probably at an 8 out of 10 clip. Again, not that difficult but looks pretty damned impressive.
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Well Well Well......I lose. You're absolutely right, it can be done.
I watched the Irving Crane video and yes, they tinkered with the film, but that doesn't matter. He still made the shot. If he could do it, I'm sure there are a lot of others who could do it too.
Thank you for revealing this.
I am somewhat hard to convince about stuff, but when I see that I was incorrect, I will "fold my hand and call for a new deck". :smile:
Well done!
*as he begins eating his breakfast of dirty, untasty, crow*
:thumbup:
Excellent view of Efren here at 5:01 looking at the object ball last:
https://youtu.be/asEjvAZOnek?t=301
https://youtu.be/asEjvAZOnek?t=301
Well, Chuck Fields actually revealed/posted the video, but, yeah... it can certainly be made. When I learned to make spot shots, EVERYONE shot them from the side rails. In that Crane video, that's actually the first time I've ever seen anyone shoot a spot shot from the "off" spot. I suppose he did it so it would look more difficult ( which it really isn't, but... ). Nice video, though. I had never seen Hoppe in action, so to speak, before.
Me and a buddy used to shoot spot shots, for a buck a shot, on a 12' snooker table set up with tight golf pockets. Ahhh the slow days.
I miss slow days at pool halls. I made a couple hundred one time because the guys in the room had no idea why the end of a tape measure moves. :thumbup:
I miss slow days at pool halls. I made a couple hundred one time because the guys in the room had no idea why the end of a tape measure moves. :thumbup: